People living in a New Haven neighborhood are bringing their concerns directly to the police chief after a rash of burglaries and break-ins in the Westville area. Many happening at a gated apartment complex.
A smashed car window is the first of several instances that happened at the Westville Village Apartments in New Haven.
Jonathan Ashe said his son’s car was targeted six times between October of last year and last week. There’s a sense of frustration.
“It’s a sad situation for me. It’s a sad situation for my son. He’s got a steering wheel lock. He’s got all the precautions. Do what he needs to do to protect his car,” he said.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
Ashe said the car is under his insurance and the premiums have gone up each time a window was smashed.
“We’re paying 60 dollars for a parking space and you’re still getting violated. It’s insane,” he said.
The apartment complex management said they’re aware of the concerns and have stepped up security on the property. They go on to say in a statement:
Local
“These investments include increasing and upgrading security cameras, ensuring parking areas have extensive lighting and are well lit, as well as providing overnight on-site security services.”
New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson met with neighbors at a meeting organized by City Alder Richard Furlow. He said there was a 191% increase in car break-ins in April the Westville area.
It’s a number he says is unacceptable and promised to take action while managing an officer shortage.
“It falls on me. We have moved some resources here due to violent crime in another area of the district, but everyone in New Haven needs to feel safe,” he said.
Jacobson plans to add more patrols to the area and said there will be detectives dedicated to a robberies and burglaries unit to take these cases. He said one arrest has been made in connection to criminal activity around the complex with strong leads on a second person.
Jacobson said meeting with concerned neighbors is community policing at its core.
“It’s about giving people a voice. It’s one of the predicates I opened up as a chief on. Police legitimacy. You only get legitimacy if you listen to people,” Jacobson said.
Ashe said he hopes to see results soon.
“The chief gave me his card personally. I respect that and it may deter from this happening again,” he said.
There are plans to have monthly meetings with the city alder, police and neighbors in the area to continue the dialogue.
